"Lazzari's Sports Roundup" ---- 02-11-06

Lazzari's "Question of the Week": Who changes their minds more often: my last three girlfriends--or current major leaguers considering whether or not to participate in the upcoming World Baseball Classic?..........TRIVIA QUESTION: Who is the only player in NHL history to tally hat tricks in two different All-Star games? Answer to follow..........Can you imagine if LPGA golfer Tammie Green married former NFL center Forrest Blue, divorced, married ex-NFL kick returner Mel Gray--divorced again--then tied the knot with N.Y. Knicks coach Larry Brown? She'd be roaming around the links with the "colorful" name of Tammie Green Blue Gray Brown..........This week in sports history, February 12, 1972: A very strong Soviet Union hockey team defeats Czechoslovakia 5-2 to capture the Olympic gold medal. The loss by the Czechs enabled the United States squad to earn an unexpected silver medal; the U.S. and Czechoslovakia had possessed the same point total, but the American team was ultimately awarded the silver because they had defeated the Czechs earlier in the tournament. It was the United States' first medal in hockey since 1960..........After defeating Nathan Green and Jose Maria Olazabal at Torrey Pines a couple of weeks ago, Tiger Woods' playoff record now stands at 9-1 on the PGA Tour--12-1 worldwide. It's reached the point where it's not even "like taking candy from a baby" anymore when Woods toys with his opponents in playoffs; it's more like taking FORMULA from a NEWBORN..........Did anyone catch the photo of figure skating legend/commentator Peggy Fleming on the cover of "USA Weekend" last Sunday? All I'll say is this: At age 57, she STILL looks better than most TWENTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD women I come across these days..........Catcher Mike Piazza, who earned $17 million last year, has just signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Padres--a mind-boggling pay cut of $15 million. But don't expect Mike to be brooding too much; when you wake up in the beautiful city of San Diego every morning with a former Playboy Playmate/"Baywatch" star next to you, life can be a HELLUVA lot worse, right?..........Answer to trivia question: MARIO LEMIEUX--who posted hat tricks in both the 1988 and 1990 All-Star games..........Lazzari's "Lopsided Score of the Week": In a college basketball game here in the East recently, Geneva College defeated Penn State-Beaver 102-31. Question: Did the entire losing team actually show up and play BASKETBALL that evening--or was half the squad too busy building a DAM outside the arena?..........The "Unwatchable NBA" Update: Grab your barf bags, folks. The Sacramento Kings scored a PATHETIC combined total of 24 points in the third and fourth quarters during a recent 83-78 loss to Orlando. Here's more: The two teams combined to shoot a horrific 5-for-38 from 3-point range that evening (Orlando was 0-for-12)--or a "whopping" 13%. Haven't utilized the bag yet? The New Orleans Hornets had a grand total of SEVEN assists AS A TEAM during an 84-68 loss to the Spurs in late January. Ginger ale, anyone?..........Happy birthday wishes go out to former major league third baseman Sal Bando--who blows out 62 candles on February 13th. Bando played 16 seasons between 1966 and 1981 with the K.C./Oakland Athletics and the Milwaukee Brewers--hitting .254 lifetime with 242 home runs. A durable player, Sal played in 150 or more games in a season ten times. A four-time All-Star, Bando led the American League in total bases, doubles, and extra-base hits in 1973 and was the clubhouse leader of the A's championship teams of 1972-1974. Best wishes, Salvatore..........Finally, condolences go out to the family of Texas Tech assistant football coach Dave Brown--who died recently of a heart attack at the age of 52 while playing basketball. A defensive backs coach for the last five years, Brown also played 16 NFL seasons with the Steelers, Seahawks, and Packers. Brown was a member of the Steelers squad that won the Super Bowl in 1976 vs. Dallas. A Pro-Bowler in 1984 with Seattle, Brown still holds that franchise's career interception mark with 50. Rest in peace, Dave Brown.

Bob Lazzari

Reprinted by permission of the Valley Times.